Even though Orioles general manager Dan Duquette called free agent right fielder Jose Bautista “a villain in Baltimore” at last month’s Winter Meetings, the executive has been in touch with the longtime Blue Jay’s camp this offseason, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network (Twitter link).
The degree of the Orioles’ interest in Bautista is unclear (FanRag’s Jon Heyman reported earlier this month that it’s nonexistent), but it’s known that the team is looking for another outfielder, as Duquette indicated last week. Given that negotiations with free agent Mark Trumbo don’t seem to be leading anywhere, the club is also on the hunt for a big bat. Bautista would fill those needs more than other recently Orioles–linked names like Chris Carter, Pedro Alvarez and Brandon Moss, though he’d certainly come at a higher price tag than anyone from that group.
The Orioles would lose a first-round pick if they were to sign Bautista (they would get a later selection as compensation for Trumbo’s exit), but the argument for a bold short-term maneuver like adding him is that they’re built to win now. Third baseman Manny Machado, closer Zach Britton, center fielder Adam Jones and starter Chris Tillman each have two or fewer years of team control remaining, meaning Baltimore’s window to compete for a championship could be on the verge of closing.
Bautista would perhaps help keep the Orioles’ contention chances alive in the near term, but it’s worth noting that the 36-year-old’s only real asset at this point is his bat, which was ordinary by his lofty standards in 2016. In a season limited on account of multiple disabled list stints, Bautista hit .234/.366/.452 in 517 plate appearances – down from the remarkable .268/.390/.555 slash he compiled in 3,604 PAs from 2010-15.
While Bautista clearly wasn’t great in any facet last season, he was still easily above average at the plate and would make up for Trumbo’s absence with aplomb. The right-handed hitter would also provide the Orioles a third credible offensive corner outfielder, joining lefty-swingers Seth Smith and Hyun Soo Kim, as well as a far more established DH option than Trey Mancini.
Wow! Maybe to make Trumbo hurry and take their offer?? I want to see how Oriole’s fans feel about this..
I think orioles fans would be thrilled. You stop hating a good player as soon as he wears your uniform.
I still hated Milton Bradley when the Cubs signed him.
Bradley wasn’t very good for the Cubs and he was a disgusting human being, not just a villain as an entertainer.
Agreed, Joey Bats isn’t reviled for his personal life, just for being what? Competitive
Milton Bradley gave us a bunch of great board games, though…..
I think not. I’m praying they don’t bring this clown to my home team
Yea at the end of the day you have to be happy that your team is trying to put the best players on the field, whether or not he’s liked by the fan base at first.
Imagine how much of a villain he will be if he signs and doesn’t produce.
I would be happy to take him.
I would not be mad if he got a one year deal and flopped.
It is worth the gamble.
But you don’t want Manny Machado? You might be the most puzzling poster here.
It’s Manny’s attitude that I take issue with.
If he does not improve it, I am not for him re-signing with the O’s
He has so much talent, it’s off the charts, but his attitude currently will not allow him to realize his potential. That is what seems to be getting lost in my comments about Manny.
Plus, Joey Bats attitude never bothered me
Hope this clears up any confusion or at least some.
This is the first time I’m hearing Machado has an attitude. I’m not saying you’re wrong since you obviously follow the Orioles more than me. But is it really worse than Bautistas?
Uhm… Didn’t he get suspended for throwing his bat at a player (or something like that) a couple years ago? Haven’t seen/heard much recently, but I’m pretty sure that happened at one point…
That being said, I’d take him on my team in a heartbeat.
I’d agree machado has an attitude problem. Has a real chip on his shoulder for such a young guy. I don’t particularly like it either.
You’re right Priggs. I completely forgot about that. Though as you said that was a few years ago. Anything since ? And again , I can’t see him having a bigger attitude than Bautista
But Bautista has no attitude?
It was a series of events against the A’s during one series. It wasn’t just the bat throw…he also sparked a bench-clearing brawl by fighting with Donaldson because he thought he tagged him “too hard”, prompting Machado to throw his helmet toward Donaldson. It was pretty evident from replays that absolutely nothing on Donaldson’s part was done to provoke such a response. Later on, Machado hit Derek Norris on a backswing that resulted in him needing to be removed from the game. It was deemed that this may have been intentional. And then of course, the bat throw at Donaldson.
He also charged the mound this season against the Royals and got suspended for 4 games.
Wasn’t the Royals one against Ventura? I think he’s been in multiple fights the past few years.
It’s not just those incidents
It was his swing late in the season
Corkscrewing trying to hit a home-run, when it was not necessary
Non Chalanting throws to first,
Just general apathy at the end of last season
Some O’s fans forget all about that.
It drives me crazy
So you have an issue with Mannys attitude but not Bautista?!
Can’t see the Orioles doing it, especially before fan fest on the 28th. A majority of fans would greet him with a boo and some other not so nice words. There is no current player in the AL East hated more by Os fans than Jose.
That’s because fans aren’t very smart. Lucky for fans, teams don’t make decisions based on their feelings.
I’m an O’s fan I really, really hope they don’t sign him. It’s one thing that fans don’t like someone, but it’s another that when Rougned Odor came up to bat last season at Camden Yards, sometimes he would get a standing ovation. Bautista is old and costs a draft pick, and on top of that he would get booed at home.
Can he pitch?
Jose had 90 MPH in High School. So, yes he can pitch, lol, but he hurt his arm trying to throw out a guy at first from right field and it never fully healed. So by his own admission, his formally top right field arm in mlb is 80% of what it was 2 years ago when he hurt it.
I’m an O’s fan and I really hope they don’t sign him. It’s one thing if fans don’t like a player, but it’s another that sometimes when Rougned Odor comes up to bat at OPACY, he gets a standing ovation. Bautista is old and costs a pick, and on top of that he would get booed at home.
I think Jose probably has 2 decent years left in him, not elite years but very good ones at the plate. He will be very average to poor in the field, but he can play a good 3rd base and first base is a no brainer for him. Talented, athletic guy.
he can’t play third anymore. strict dh/occasional OF/1B guy now.
MatthewBaltimore23:
Yes, but do you hope the O’s don’t sign him? Does Rougned Odor get applauded at OPACY? Is Bautista old and costs a pick? Would he get booed at home?
I don’t get it. O’s fans like you would boo your own team’s players, but wildly applaud another team’s guy for getting into a fight with a third team’s player. And all this somehow helps your team …..
Spock and Tuvok would definitely raise eyebrows at that logic. Even lots of human baseball fans do, as well.
Hold your horses there bud! Spock was half human and Tuvok is lost in the delta quadrant.
Tuvok got back .. didn’t he?
If not, we’ll send a subspace message so he can ponder this odd human behavior.
I think he did get back, then left again because of this odd human behavior. Lol.
Jose quintana the free agent slugging villian
Quintana pitches for the White Sox.
The Jose Bautista tag is a link to Jose Quintana
Giving up their first to sign bautista for 1 year would be a very O’s move
True, and I hope they don’t do it again.
Personal issues aside, signing Bautista on a 1-year or 2-year deal would be foolish when you factor in the loss of a 1st round pick. Unless he can be had at a ridiculously low AAV and can be almost guaranteed to bounce back from last year’s weak numbers this would not be a good idea.
Agreed. The farm system is pathetic and they need to keep picks and try to build. It would be one thing to give up the pick for a top level player but not for Bautista. You’d like to think they learned after Jimenez and Gallardo but…
I get why Bautista would not be wanted in Baltimore but as a Jays fan I immediately think of why he would never want to sign there. Above all the bad blood with Orioles players he was pretty derisive about Buck Showalter’s integrity as a coach. Going to a team where you have zero mutual respect with the coach makes zero sense. You’re not going to brush that off as gamesmanship. I don’t see it as more than Duquette keeping tabs on the market and/or Bautista’s agent looking for leverage.
At this point, I think he’ll sign anywhere that offers to pay him. This experience has to be a HUGE reality check for him.
orioles are gonna be really bad for a really long time when machado leaves. Can’t afford to lose a first rounder
People keep saying that and Baltimore keeps winning.
If they think he’ll help them to be in the chase for post season, they will sign him.. Never knew them to worry about the draft pick before. Still I wouldn’t sign him but I’m not the GM.
Same thing happened with Davis last year. When talks stalled, the Orioles put out a story that they were going after Cespedes and then Davis signed within the week.
so they’re gonna outbid themselves and sign bautista to a horrible contract as well?
Manny absolutely has an attitude. That being said, I can’t see how one would think Bautista doesn’t. It’s like a more advanced stage of Manny’s. Manny is young and cocky. He’s always has played with a chip on his shoulder, but that’s what makes him good. He’s denied the opportunity to play SS so what does he do, become the best defensive 3B in all of baseball. I don’t think Manny’s attitude should keep the O’s from resigning him. I do think the price might keep them from resigning him, especially after the Davis deal. Manny at least does lead the younger guys to a certain extent. It’s not doubt Jones and Buck run the show, but Manny will have to take the mantle at some point if he wants to stay.
I can’t stand Bautista, but if he lets his bat do the talking instead of his mouth, I guess I’m kind of okay with doing him a one year favor. DD’s comments at the beginning of the winter really set this up well. I think he knew Bautista wouldn’t have a huge market, but I don’t think any of us saw this kind of collapse coming for him, EE, and Trumbo. The O’s signing Bautista would literally be doing him a favor. The favor being keeping him in a hitter friendly park so he can rebuild his value instead of trying to hit in some place like Tampa.
All of this to say, I have my concerns about his attitude more than Manny’s. Bautista has respect for nobody and even Manny respects Buck. Remember, the O’s had a chance to bring in Rasmus before his great year in Houston and they passed because of character concerns. That and with this being the last year a team has to give up a first rounder, I’m not for it.
Manny doesn’t have an attitude. He had a brief incident with Oakland
As an O’s fan, I would really like to see them sign Bautista. His OBP alone would greatly improve the lineup, then add around 25-30 homers and around 90ish RBI and he would be a solid DH. I understand the bad blood and loss of draft pick but their pick right now is 21 or 23 and the pick they would get for Trumbo signing with another team would be 28 so it’s not that big of a difference.
Can’t give up that pick for one year guy
If he was willing to sign a contract with my O’s for 1 years @ 750K with a Club option for a second and third year at the same salary with buyouts of $20; I’d still be opposed to it. I hate this dude with a passion. I’d also skip out on renewing my season tickets
That’ll show ’em !
I hope to god they don’t have serious discussions with this dude. I’m opposed to it 100% I don’t care what the production is. That’s my opinion of the guy even before I consider my assumption of him being a PED user.
You’re of doodoo….probably already renewed your season’s tickets cause it’s the only exciting thing going in your boring life.
Orioles gaslight both Bluejays into resigning Bautista, and Trumbo into lowering his price? This could be the GM move of the year.
Almost as good as the O’s having a viable farm system!
WOW! I’m on the floor laughing right now. I can’t believe the O’s are even THINKING about signing the team’s and the fan’s LEAST favorite player. He’s absolutely HATED in Baltimore! Gosh, that is gonna make their attendance soar. O’day is going to get along fine with him.
I fall on the floor laughing when I see the Angels projected at 85 wins in ’17.
I’ve met Manny. One on one with my son the day after a night game he hit a walk off home run. I’m here to tell you that he is nothing but a self-centered jerk and yes, if you want to call that a bad attitude the so be it. My son was so irritated with how he was treated by Machado he told me he wishes we would have never bought matching Machado jerseys. Talk about leaving an impression on an 8 year old. Maybe this is the kind of behavior that Adam Jones talks about how Manny needs to “mature” to become a success in the league.